The Pro-gressive Show is an online platform open to engage, challenge and openly discuss a time of reforming the social standards. This is in fashion, gender, race and life expectations, a time for the new! A change to a pro-gressive state of reclaiming our self-expression and stories.

Tag: change

Yesterday marked the 56th year of remembering Sharpeville; a day we know as Human Rights Day. I found many people quietly asking “What is Human Rights Day again?” or “Is it only a South African holiday?”

This irritated me, but I could only blame our system and educational syllabus for not teaching OUR history to us. We do not know our country’s history, our people’s history and positive black history. I find that many, myself included have only started to know our slave history and the true land history of our country way after school. But should this not be in our primary and high school syllabus? Should our history not be taught to us as a priority as this is our homeland? I knew European, American and French history better than that of my own African history. Who do I approach to have black stories told, black history learnt and get our education to highlight why our people still suffer the consequences of our history. The new generations cannot create change if they do not know what started the struggle, who fought for change and who our true heroes are. A history lesson is needed for ALL. We cannot ignore our present and past struggles. Many still have to live in the far away segregated communities, flats and rural areas that were forced during Apartheid, yet many do not even know the truth of our history and who to celebrate. Let’s write, share and teach our history.

The Sharpeville Massacre was an event which occurred on 21 March 1960, at the police station in the South African township of Sharpeville. This date is also the United Nations International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination. It is the day when, 69 ordinary South Africans were gunned down by the South African Police for protesting against the apartheid pass laws; offering themselves up for arrest for not carrying their passbooks.

The day, also referred to as Sharpeville Day and Heroes’ Day, finally made the world aware of the inhumanity of the apartheid regime.

Since 1994, 21 March has been commemorated as Human Rights Day in South Africa.

In 1998, the TRC found that the police actions constituted “gross human rights violations in that excessive force was unnecessarily used to stop a gathering of unarmed people.”

The Marikana Killings was compared to that of the Sharpeville Massacre; on the 16th August 2012, members of the South African Police opened fire with R5 rifle guns on a group of strikers. Within minutes 34 miners were killed, and at least 78 were wounded. The incident was the single most lethal use of force by South African security forces against civilians since the Sharpeville Massacre.

Our history is important; we need to be able to recognise it when it repeats itself and when no change has been made we need to know what we stand and fight for; what heroes we want to become.

A very unpleasant or disturbing emotion caused by the presence or imminence of danger, pain or harm.Photo taken from SA People News.

It is 2016 and it has only gotten worse and grown hightened. Every thought is based on it. What route do I walk? Can I skip the run today? Is this dress asking for attention? Does this top reveal too much? Does anyone know where I am going? Is this place too quiet? Should I stop at this red robot? Can you go with me so that I am not alone?

The fear I feel is echoed by my sister, my mother, my friends and my sisterhood. We know it, we act brave but it gets the best of us. We hear it like the whispers of your comments as we pass by.

We know our rights, we know what we deserve, we know the dangers we face just by baring the body we have. We are aware of them sitting on the corner, shouting things, watching us, trying to own us or intimidate us or instil the fear we already acknowledge.

It is 2016 and you still haven’t changed.

Today and Tonight, like every night and every day; we shall walk, sing, cry, beg, share and pray. For change, for acknowledgment and for respect.

We; women need you; men to listen and to talk to your fellow brothers, fathers, sons, cousins, colleagues and friends and create change. We don’t need to remind us women of our fears we share or of our rights. We need to tell the men to change, to unite with us, to help, to speak out and to respect us.

It is 2016, it is time to listen, to acknowledge and change.

To all our fallen angels; young girls, womyn, mothers, sisters and lovers. Your death matters. We hear it.

Walk with! Walk for every girl in every community! Walk for change! In Khayelitsha at 12pm today! http://www.timeslive.co.za/local/2016/03/12/March-planned-for-murdered-Khayelitsha-woman-Sinoxolo-Mafevuka

I have always been an angry worded beggar for change; in the world and in everyone I know. I sometimes feel that I stand for too many things, I want to see change in EVERYTHING and get de-motivated by the lack of progressiveness in our modern society. After fighting many social media battles, sharing post after post to try share the love for all; races, animals, genders, sexualities, equality and empowerment for people of colour and for women. The fight seems to land on deafened ears and shut eyes. But I have slowly started to see all the change many people I know across the creative industry begin to use their privilege and platform to speak out, to create change, to help those that need it most and to support those trying. I want to share and support companies, individuals and groups that are creating platforms, hustling for change and helping towards a progressive modern day story telling of our own people and own land. This is all about South Africa; the youth, the potential, the defying of social structures in all things from fashion, film, NGO’s, entrepreneurs, media and major platforms. I wish to share with the world what we have to offer and what everyone should support. To bring attention to tough things we need to discuss. I hope to inspire change and pro-gress.

“When the whole world is silent, even one voice becomes powerful”. Malala Yousafzai.